Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 1 eBook

And on an auspicious day, suitable for the commencement
of a sacrificial ceremony, Saryati ordered the erection
of a sacrificial shrine of an excellent description
and splendidly furnished with all desirable things.
There Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu, officiated for the
king as his priest. Now listen to me relating
the wonderful events which happened at that spot.
Chyavana took up a quantity of the Soma juice, in
order that he might offer the same to the Aswins, who
were physicians to the celestials. And while
the saint was taking up the intended offering for
those celestial twins, Indra pronounced his interdiction,
saying, “These Aswins both of them in my opinion
have no right to receive an offering of the Soma juice.
They are the physicians of the celestials in heaven,—­this
vocation of theirs hath disentitled them (in the matter
of Soma).” Thereupon Chyavana said, “These
two are of mighty enterprise, possessed of mighty
souls, and uncommonly endued with beauty and grace.
And they, O Indra, have converted me into an eternally
youthful person, even like unto a celestial.
Why shouldst thou and the other celestials have a
right to the distilled Soma juice, and not they?
O lord of the celestials, O demolisher of hostile
towns! be it known to thee that the Aswins also rank
as gods.” At this, Indra spake saying, “These
two practise the healing art,—­so they are
but servants. And assuming forms at their pleasure
they roam about in the world of mortal beings.
How can they then rightfully claim the juice of the
Soma?"’

“Lomasa said, ’When these very identical
words were spoken again and again by the lord of celestials,
the son of Bhrigu, setting Indra at naught, took up
the offering he had intended to make. And as he
was about to take up an excellent portion of the Soma
juice with the object of offering it to the two Aswins,
the destroyer of the demon Vala (Indra) observed his
act, and thus spoke unto him, “If thou take up
the Soma with a view to offering it to those celestials,
I shall hurl at thee my thunderbolt of awful form,
which is superior to all the weapons that exist.”
Thus addressed by Indra, the son of Bhrigu, cast at
Indra a smiling glance, and took up in due form a
goodly quantity of the Soma juice, to make an offering
to the Aswins. Then Sachi’s lord hurled
at him the thunderbolt of awful form. And as
he was about to launch it, his arm was paralysed by
Bhrigu’s son. And having paralysed his arm,
Chyavana recited sacred hymns, and made offering on
the fire. His object gained, he now attempted
to destroy that celestial. Then by the virtue
of that saint’s ascetic energy, an evil spirit
came into being,—­a huge demon, Mada
by name, of great strength and gigantic proportions.
And his body was incapable of being measured either
by demons or by gods. And his mouth was terrible
and of huge size, and with teeth of sharpened edge.
And one of his jaws rested on the earth, and the other
stretched to heaven. And he had four fangs, each